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Nick Adenhart
Nicholas James Adenhart (August 24, 1986 – April 9, ) was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Career Adenhart was drafted straight out of Williamsport High School in Williamsport, Maryland by the Anaheim Angels. He had been projected as a top 10 draft pick, but an elbow injury two weeks before the 2004 MLB Draft forced him to have Tommy John surgery and dropped him to the 413th overall pick in the 14th round. Adenhart became a top-ranked prospect in the Angels organization, ranked by Baseball America as the 90th best prospect in baseball and the sixth in the Angels organization in , as the 34th best prospect in baseball and second in the Angels organization in , as the 24th best prospect in baseball and 2nd in the Angels organization in and as the best prospect in the Angels organization going into . He made his major league debut as the starting pitcher on May 1, , against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in . He gave up five earned runs and walked five in two innings, earning a no-decision. Adenhart earned his only career victory on May 12, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, giving up four earned runs in 5⅔ innings en route to a 10-7 Angels victory. Adenhart opened the season as the third starter in the Angels' rotation. In his final game on April 8, 2009, he earned a no-decision, giving up seven hits and no runs while striking out five batters and walking three batters in six innings against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Death Shortly after midnight on April 9, 2009, Adenhart was killed in a car accident in Fullerton, California, hours after being the starting pitcher in a major league baseball game versus the Oakland Athletics. Police reported that an individual driving a red Toyota Sienna minivan ran a red light, hitting a gray Mitsubishi Eclipse in which Adenhart was a passenger. The Mitsubishi then crashed into a telephone pole. The driver of the Mitsubishi and one passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. Adenhart and the third passenger were taken to University of California, Irvine Medical Center, where Adenhart died as a result of his injuries. The driver of the minivan fled the scene on foot, but was later apprehended. On April 10, 2009, the driver was charged with three counts of murder, hit and run and driving under the influence. In remembrance of Adenhart, for the rest of the season, the Angels will wear a black No. 34 patch above the heart on their uniforms, his locker in the Angels Stadium of Anaheim clubhouse will remain as it was, and a locker will be assigned to him on road games. A black and white photo of Adenhart along with his name and number was added to the center field fence at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Despite pitching only 4 major league games, Adenhart was not the youngest active Angels' pitcher to die. In April, 1965, rookie pitcher Dick Wantz pitched one inning of relief for the Los Angeles Angels (in their last year sharing Dodger Stadium). He died of a brain tumor at age 25 one month later in May, 1965. References External links * MLB.com Tribute Page Category:Arkansas Travelers players Category:Arizona League Angels players Category:Cedar Rapids Kernels players Category:Deaths among active Major League Baseball players Category:Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Major League Baseball players from Maryland Category:People from Silver Spring, Maryland Category:Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Category:Road accident deaths in California Category:Salt Lake Bees players Category:Starting Pitchers Category:Players